Daydreaming at the Wheel: A Deadly Cause of Accidents

It might not get as much attention as texting and driving or talking on a cell phone and driving, but daydreaming behind the wheel can also be a serious culprit behind major vehicle accidents in San Francisco and beyond.

It often gets ignored because being distracted for just a few seconds can’t really be that dangerous, or so most people think. According to a study conducted by Erie Insurance Group, being lost in thought is tied to accidents more than people imagine: over a two-year period, one in ten accidents had at least one driver who was distracted. Of those drivers who were distracted? The focus wasn’t on other passengers, the radio, cellphones, smoking, or even looking at surroundings: more than 62% were simply “lost in thought”.

It’s not really that shocking given the increasing numbers of people walking into telephone poles or each other due to their own distractions outside of vehicles, the cause of which in many cases is looking down at a cell phone. But simple distraction often gets ignored as a leading cause of accidents. Nobody really wants to admit “Hey, I just wasn’t paying attention” in the aftermath of an accident when someone else has been injured, but this stigma pulls necessary attention from a critical cause of deadly accidents. And everyone has probably driven with someone else who gets lost in thought and starts drifting closer to the berm or median. Rumble strips might correct that behavior temporarily, but the driver has to be responsible for being aware of distractions over the long term.

This isn’t to say that accidents caused by other sources aren’t dangerous or gruesome- any view of the television commercials related to texting and driving says otherwise. But these accident causes are also likely to provoke your emotions more deeply due to the disturbing incidents, making it easier to point the figure at people who choose to engage in behavior like texting and driving to begin with.

But daydreaming behind the  wheel is almost universal- any human can fall victim to it. While talking on the phone, applying makeup, shaving, combing hair and eating all require “props”, many people just aren’t even aware of the dangers associated with a drifting mind because they aren’t aware they are even doing it.

While there’s no way to completely eradicate any chance of daydreaming while driving, there are steps you can take to increase your safety and reduce the chances of an accident. Here are a few tips to be alert and aware behind the wheel:

Evaluate your surroundings for “what if” scenarios, like “What if the car ahead of me stops suddenly?” or “What if that car in the lane next to me tries to come over without checking the blind spot?” Doing this can help you readjust your focus and become aware of how many sudden changes can happen in traffic if you’re not paying attention.
Change your gaze every few seconds. If you keep staring straight ahead at the same thing, your peripheral vision narrows and your mind starts wandering.
Try out new routes often so you don’t get into a habit of losing focus by traveling the same road over and over
Don’t underestimate daydreaming. While it certainly has its place, it’s not behind the wheel. If you’ve already been hurt in an accident because another driver was daydreaming, get advice from an experienced personal injury attorney by calling (415) 868-5297.